50 Years of Transitioning Teacher Education from Special to Inclusive Education in Western Australia (WA): Is it Education for All?

The movement from special to inclusive education has developed internationally across the past half century. Likewise, teacher education has undergone major changes to ensure that teachers are prepared for an inclusive approach to teaching. Many countries have adopted a range of approaches, mainly inspired by various international conferences and declarations. Prior to the early 1990s, Australia, similar to other jurisdictions, had a primarily dual approach to the education of children with disability. For the past three decades, education has focused on implementing inclusive environments and practices with considerably more options and opportunities for learners with a disability. This article provides a brief international perspective on the Education for All (EfA) movement, considering the impact of international declarations on progress towards inclusion in Australia. It then focuses on the changes that have led this movement in Western Australia (WA), the process of change and the legislation that has underpinned it. Consideration is given to teacher education for inclusion across the past 50 years and potential future directions for supporting learners with diverse and increasingly challenging needs in Western Australia.